A man once telephoned Norman Vincent Peale. He was despondent and told the reverend that he had nothing left to live for. Norman Vincent Peale invited the man over to his office. "Everything is gone, hopeless," the man told him. "I'm living in deepest darkness. In fact, I've lost heart for living altogether."
Norman Vincent Peale smiled sympathetically.
"Let's take a look at your situation," he said calmly. On a sheet of paper he drew a vertical line down the middle. He suggested that they list on the left side the things the man had lost, and on the right, the things he had left. "You won't need that column on the right side," said the man sadly. "I have nothing left, period."
Norman Vincent Peale asked, "When did your wife leave you?"
"What do you mean? She hasn't left me. My wife loves me!"
"That's great!" said Norman Vincent Peale enthusiastically. "Then that will be number one in the right-hand column - Wife hasn't left. Now, when were your children jailed?"
"That's silly. My children aren't in jail!"
"Good! That's number two in the right-hand column - Children not in jail," said Norman Vincent Peale, jotting it down.
After a few more questions in the same vein, the man finally got the point and smiled in spite of himself. "Funny, how things change when you think of them that way," he said.
Motivational Quote: "Be sure that you appreciate everything you've got; and be thankful for the little things in life that mean a lot."
Inspirational Quote: "It is not what you have but it is how you think has a profound effect on your life."
Norman Vincent Peale smiled sympathetically.
"Let's take a look at your situation," he said calmly. On a sheet of paper he drew a vertical line down the middle. He suggested that they list on the left side the things the man had lost, and on the right, the things he had left. "You won't need that column on the right side," said the man sadly. "I have nothing left, period."
Norman Vincent Peale asked, "When did your wife leave you?"
"What do you mean? She hasn't left me. My wife loves me!"
"That's great!" said Norman Vincent Peale enthusiastically. "Then that will be number one in the right-hand column - Wife hasn't left. Now, when were your children jailed?"
"That's silly. My children aren't in jail!"
"Good! That's number two in the right-hand column - Children not in jail," said Norman Vincent Peale, jotting it down.
After a few more questions in the same vein, the man finally got the point and smiled in spite of himself. "Funny, how things change when you think of them that way," he said.
Motivational Quote: "Be sure that you appreciate everything you've got; and be thankful for the little things in life that mean a lot."
Inspirational Quote: "It is not what you have but it is how you think has a profound effect on your life."
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